Bail set at $150,000 after overnight chase

Bail denied in Fort Worth robbery charge

Published: Sunday, January 13, 2002

LINDA KANEAvalanche-Journal

LAMESA  John Vernon Hobbs was arraigned Saturday morning on charges stemming from an overnight chase through Dawson County.

Hobbs was arraigned on burglary of a building, possession of a prohibited weapon and evading arrest charges. Bail was set at $50,000 for each charge, a Dawson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said Saturday.

He also was arraigned for a probation violation stemming from an armed robbery in the Fort Worth area, the spokeswoman said. Bail was denied on this charge.

The incident in Dawson County began about 9:50 p.m. Thursday when a state trooper responded to a call of a man and woman fighting in the roadway, Dawson County Sheriff Johnny Garcia said Friday.

When the trooper arrived, the couple fled north in a vehicle. After about 10 miles, the woman was pushed out of the vehicle at the intersection of U.S. 87 and FM 1210.

Hobbs led police on a chase until his vehicle got stuck in a field. He then fled on foot and was captured Friday morning, hiding in the closet at a house.

The female resident of the house was unaware the man had broken into her house, Garcia said.

In Hobbs' vehicle, officers found what appeared to be three sticks of dynamite bound with black tape. Bomb technicians from Lubbock determined the materials were not explosives.